Snivellus

41

Draco quickly moves and looks her straight in the eye and back at Snape. 'What Darah means to say is that Weasley started the fight. Right Darah.' He said through clenched teeth.

Darah's mouth fell open slightly. 'No. I started it. Draco's covering for me so I don't get into trouble.'

'No. That's not what happened.' Draco tilted his head at her sternly.

'Stop, Draco. You don't need to lie for me.'

'Well... Darah. My office. NOW!' Snape commands, making Darah and Draco flinch at the tone of his voice.

Snape turns to leave and Darah gets up to follow.

Draco tugs at her robe with his one free arm and whispers through clenched teeth. 'What are you doing?'

She shoves his hand away. 'Shut up. I know what I'm doing.'

Draco looks up at her as she walks away, his eyes wide and genuinely full with fear as he bites down hard on his lip.

***

Snape takes a seat in his office.

'Sit.'

Darah hurries down onto the chair and Snape looks her deep in the eyes, it was as if he could see right into her brain.

'Do you really expect me to believe you, Darah?'

Darah was taken aback. 'What?'

'I know you did not cause the duel. Why are you lying to me?'

'I'm not lying-' Darah tries to stand her ground.

'Darah. I am one of the most talented legilimens there is.'

Darah bites her lip.

'Now tell me why you are lying for Mr Malfoy.'

Darah scrunched up her face in frustration. 'Because he's my friend maybe? And because I know the type of punishments you give!'

Snape simply sits there. 'Then why not blame it on the Gryffindor boy?'

'Because... because he's my friend too! I don't want to throw either of them under the bus, Dad!'

The door opens. Professor Lupin stands there, his face solemn.

'I- mean Professor.' Darah's mouths drops slightly open.

Snape stands up from his desk, glaring Lupin in the eye.

'You can just wipe his memory, right?' Darah prays aloud.

Snape slowly walks towards Lupin who stands frozen in the doorway. The silence in the room projects the echos of Snape's shoes hitting to floor as he moves.

He pulls out his wand and holds it against Lupin's neck. Darah gets out her chair and reaches forwards. 'Dad stop-'

'If you tell anyone-' Snape starts.

'Does Dumbledore know?' Lupin interjects.

Snape pulls his wand back, letting Darah have a sigh of relief. 'Of course he knows, you fool.'

'Is she... hers?' Lupin whispers, glancing at Darah.

'Who's?-'

Snape raises his wand. 'I could kill you, you know.'

Lupin holds his hands up defensively and slowly lowers Snape's wand.

'Ok, Severus.' He speaks calmly.

Snape backs up a little. 'Bed, Darah.'

'What? No!'

'Do what I say!' He shouts.

Darah grunts in anger and frustration. She bows her head down, tears shedding from her eyes. She slams the door behind her and pauses outside the room, lowering her cries, trying her best to listen in.

'If you say anything to harm her, Remus.'

'Calm down, Severus.' She heard them pace around the room for a while.
'I guess it could always have been possible but I never would've guessed.' He pauses. 'And she has her eyes.'

Darah frowns at that. Her eyes. 'My... mother's?' She whispers to herself.

She edges closer to the door, ear pressed against the glass.

The voices have turned more muffled now, probably curtesy of a cloaking spell. Darah huffs, clearly unable to hear anymore and so she gives up and drags herself back to the common room.

As she enters she quickly wipes her eyes, trying to hide the fact she had been crying.

Draco is still sat on the sofa, twiddling his thumbs, waiting for her.

As soon as she walked in, he got up and ran to her. 'What'd he say?' Then he noticed her blotchy face. 'What'd he do?'

'Doesn't matter. You're in the clear.' She murmured, walking towards the stairs, droopy.

'I am?' Draco said proudly, taken aback.

'Yeah, you're welcome.'

'Wait.' Draco was paused on the bottom step.

Darah turned back around to look at him, her face clearly showing she was ready for bed.

'Nothing. Talk tomorrow?' Draco suggested.

'Maybe.' She murmured as she turned and headed up the stairs to her dorm.

Once she got there, it appeared as though everyone was asleep. Darah sighed and got into her pyjamas and tucked into bed.

Next to her, Pansy was lying awake in her bed, pretending to be sleeping. She pulled the covers up tighter and stared out the gap in the curtains into the sparkling night sky.